My adventure in oxford shoes recraft!

[Pliny]



oh there's plenty of Japanese bespoke makers around, I think most of them have been mentioned here on SF.

Too bad the strong yen make their pretty shoe less enticing for international buyers


Fukuda Yohei apprenticed under Ian Wood (Lobb London), and worked at the bespoke department in EG and Cleverley.
His style is decidedly Cleverley's, with all that chisel toe, continental waist, twisted last details.
check out his website,http://yoheifukuda.jp/ (slow site, but worth it)

mind blowingly beautiful.
these are def up there with Delos. perhaps even superior to Spigola.
But if I understand the site correctly MTO starts at about US$3k and bespoke at about US $4k.

and yet it's tempting

 

[Pliny]

and this

 

[Pliny]

and this for god's sake - a mere shoebox

 

[meister]



I got my laces made at Isetan Men's in Tokyo. Was able to choose shape (round/flat), color, metal finish, and length, and they were made to order (took like 1 hr or so). Ready made color shoe laces are widely available at fine shoe store / repair stores in Tokyo, but unfortunately, I don't think any of them cater to overseas mail order.

You might want to try Tassels in Hong Kong, they offer "Shoestripes" color laces. Leathersoul in Hawaii also carries color laces from Japan. I am not sure if any of them comes in flat laces, or metal tips though.

The Leather Soul ones are very disappointing skinny things - well made - but unsuitable for most shoes IMO. But that MTO thing is awesome. To think I went there every week for years in the airlines but no SF devotee in those days so no idea so much was available. I remember buying fabulous stuff for my kids though....

 

[nutcracker]



mind blowingly beautiful.
these are def up there with Delos. perhaps even superior to Spigola.
But if I understand the site correctly MTO starts at about US$3k and bespoke at about US $4k.

and yet it's tempting

There are several other English trained Bespoke makers in Japan, most famous is probably Yamaguchi Chihiro from Guild of Crafts. Another one is less known, but a talented lady maestro, Yukiko Okawa, (who was the first Japanese to ever apprentice at Lobb London )

but Fukuda probably has the most pedigree out of them, I think. and yes, the strong yen makes them soo expensive

Guild (Yamaguchi): http://www.footwear.co.jp/entop.html
Benchmade (Yukiko Bessett Okawa): http://www.benchmade.jp/home/index2.html


But there are plenty of semi-bespoke, hand last, hand sewn welted shoes available from Japanese makers for $2000 or less. Probably in line with Gomez' Bottier line, and St.Crispins I think.

My favorite for 100,000 yen ($1200) - 200,000 ($2400) yen range should be Osamu Egawa (O.E.).

In Japan, a JLP Prestige line costs 210,000 yen ($2500), and EG Top Drawer is also up there. So yeah, these semi-bespoke Japanese shoes are priced competitively in Japan

Osamu Egawa: http://www.h6.dion.ne.jp/~snug


One-piece wholecuts with funny slits. Among my favorite designs by Egawa.

 

[ShayaEXQT]

Quote:

and this

that is

. the color is grey right? i would love to own such beautiful shoe

 

[Pliny]



There are several other English trained Bespoke makers in Japan, most famous is probably Yamaguchi Chihiro from Guild of Crafts. Another one is less known, but a talented lady maestro, Yukiko Okawa, (who was the first Japanese to ever apprentice at Lobb London )

but Fukuda probably has the most pedigree out of them, I think. and yes, the strong yen makes them soo expensive

Guild (Yamaguchi): http://www.footwear.co.jp/entop.html
Benchmade (Yukiko Bessett Okawa): http://www.benchmade.jp/home/index2.html


But there are plenty of semi-bespoke, hand last, hand sewn welted shoes available from Japanese makers for $2000 or less. Probably in line with Gomez' Bottier line, and St.Crispins I think.

My favorite for 100,000 yen ($1200) - 200,000 ($2400) yen range should be Osamu Egawa (O.E.).

In Japan, a JLP Prestige line costs 210,000 yen ($2500), and EG Top Drawer is also up there. So yeah, these semi-bespoke Japanese shoes are priced competitively in Japan

Osamu Egawa: http://www.h6.dion.ne.jp/~snug


One-piece wholecuts with funny slits. Among my favorite designs by Egawa.

hey thanks, this is very informative.
I'd love to see a thread devoted to these Japanese makers. To my mind they have a style all their own. Extreme attention to detail and finishing. High instep and tight bevelled waists. The Japanese aesthetic - delight in things small and delicate, obsession with formality, great color sense - combined with the strong artisan tradition (in wood carving, miniature painting, sword making etc ) is perfect for making shoes. If you have some Nutcracker love to see more.

 

[nutcracker]



The Leather Soul ones are very disappointing skinny things - well made - but unsuitable for most shoes IMO. But that MTO thing is awesome. To think I went there every week for years in the airlines but no SF devotee in those days so no idea so much was available. I remember buying fabulous stuff for my kids though....

These are NOT from Isetan Men's where I got my laces, but a sample from Tokyo shoeshine boutique Brift H. They also do custom laces


Choice of colors, round/flat, and metal tips




Velvet Laces



Sateen Shoe laces

 

[ShayaEXQT]

Quote:

These are NOT from Isetan Men's where I got my laces, but a sample from Tokyo shoeshine boutique Brift H. They also do custom laces


Choice of colors, round/flat, and metal tips




Velvet Laces

Sateen Shoe laces

is there anywhere in NYC i can pick up such cool stuff?

 

[bourbonbasted]



Velvet Laces

Holy ****. Velvet laces. That is one of the coolest things I've ever heard of.

 

[Achillus]

Those laces are incredible.

 

[VRaivio]

nutcracker, do you know of any Japanese webstores that offers velvet laces? My shoes are conservative, but I try to spice them with colourful or unusual laces.